Are You Sure, Ferb?
by foobar137
Summary: Flip side of Are You Sure, Vanessa? Five times people challenged Ferb about his relationship with Vanessa, and one time they didn't. In the same timeline as Mistletoe is Serious Business and Like Kissing Her Brother.


**So 14AmyChan pointed out that Ferb was likely to get challenges of his own from people who weren't sure about his relationship with Vanessa. And my brain immediately started working on another 5+1 list, because, well, that's what it does.**

**So: five times people challenged Ferb about his relationship with Vanessa, and one time they didn't. Again, this is in the timeline of Mistletoe is Serious Business, Like Kissing Her Brother, and Are You Sure, Vanessa? This is all in the summer before LKHB, or very early in the school year.**

* * *

It had been the best birthday _ever_. No, the best _day_ ever.

Every summer day, he and Phineas tried to make it the best day ever, but Ferb knew his sixteenth birthday was going to be incredibly difficult to beat.

Phineas had sent him off on a scavenger hunt, which wasn't unusual. But when he'd gotten to Blueprint Heaven, Vanessa was just leaving. They'd almost collided, and had stopped to chat briefly. She'd wished him a happy birthday, and he'd been overjoyed that she remembered. He'd mumbled something about Phineas almost certainly planning a party, and she'd asked for Phineas's number to get more information on it.

She'd actually chosen to come to his birthday party. She'd even gone out of her way for it. That was enough to make it an incredible day right there, but it got even better.

As expected, he'd ended up back at the house where a surprise party awaited. His parents and Phineas had given him the kit for a car of his own - a Caterham Seven roadster, which gave them a new project now that Phineas's Camaro was fully restored.

And Vanessa had been there, and he'd been practically unable to concentrate on anything else because of that.

As the party broke up, she stuck around, and they finally got a chance to talk. He'd screwed up his courage and asked her if he could kiss her without the mistletoe for a change, and she'd amazingly said yes. The conversation continued from there with many interruptions for kisses, until she'd had to head home finally. They'd made plans for her to come over tomorrow to help out with the unboxing of his car parts.

Now, he sat in the backyard enjoying the summer evening, still in awe of the events of the day. His mother came out, an oddly curious look on her face.

"Ferb, can we talk for a minute?" she asked.

He nodded.

"So, was that Charlene's daughter you were...talking to after the party broke up?"

Ferb raised an eyebrow, and nodded again.

"Isn't she a little old for you, Ferb? I mean, I know you two have been ending up under the mistletoe for years, but...that's different. That's just a game. You two didn't look like you were just playing today."

Ferb took a deep breath. "We talked a bit; we're just going to see where this goes for now. If it works, then we go on from there. If it doesn't, then we tried."

"She's...what, twenty now?"

"Twenty-one as of a month or so ago."

"Five years older than you."

"Dad is how much older than you?"

"That's not the point, Ferb. We were both adults with kids. You're just sixteen as of today."

Frustrated, Ferb said, "Yes. A consenting adult by the local laws. May I try this? Or shall I call her and tell her not to come over tomorrow after all?"

Linda stared at him for a moment, then shook her head, her expression softening. "No, that's not necessary. I suppose you know what you're doing as much as any of us do at your age. Certainly you can't do worse than your brother has. Just...be careful, please?"

Ferb nodded agreement.

* * *

"Ferb? May I come in?"

Ferb, lying on his bed reading a book as he wound down from another incredible day, looked up at his father and nodded his head.

Lawrence sat on the end of the bed, looking at his son. "About your new girlfriend..."

"I don't know that she'd approve of the term 'girlfriend' yet. Today's just the second day we've been seeing each other."

Lawrence raised an eyebrow. "Do you have another term you'd prefer?"

Ferb thought for a moment, then said, "You could call her Vanessa."

Lawrence chuckled, and said, "Very well, then. You and Vanessa."

"Is there a problem?"

"That's what I was going to ask you. Are you sure on this? Do you love her?"

"I'm sure that there is the potential for a tremendous relationship there. I'm not sure if the word 'love' is applicable yet. Again - we just started seeing each other yesterday."

"Where do you see this in two months, once you're both back in school?"

"If she's interested, we see if we can make things work long-distance. If not, well, this conversation is academic."

"And a year from now, when she's looking for a job and you're a senior in high school?"

"We've barely been seeing each other for twenty-four hours. I can't worry about a year from now yet. We'll cross that bridge if we get there."

Lawrence looked away for a moment, then nodded. "I suppose. You two seem to be off to a good start. Do you think it's enough?"

Ferb shrugged. "I think this one might work. All I ask is the opportunity to find out."

* * *

Ferb sighed when he saw the elevator in the Doofenshmirtz Evil, Incorporated building was out of commission. Vanessa had warned him that her father might try this, so he started climbing the stairs. It was a long ways up, and he had to pause to catch his breath before knocking on the door to the penthouse apartment.

"Go away," the heavily-accented voice on the other side said.

"Dad!" Vanessa said, and after a moment, the door opened. "Hi, Ferb," she said, and the smile she gave him made it all worthwhile.

Ferb followed her in, noticing the piles of parts and random devices. Vanessa's father looked much like the last few times Ferb had seen him - disheveled in a lab coat.

"Ferb, this is my father, Heinz Doofenshmirtz. Dad, this is Ferb Fletcher. I just need a couple minutes to finish getting ready, Ferb. Be right back!" Vanessa stepped through a door to one side, leaving Ferb alone with the scientist.

"Fletcher...that name sounds familiar for some reason, but I can't place it. Oh, well. You think you're going to date my daughter, eh? What makes you think you're good enough for her?" Vanessa's father fiddled around with an odd gun-shaped device as he spoke.

"She seems to think so, and I've learned to pay attention to her opinions over the years."

"Years, eh? But I thought you two just started dating barely a week ago?"

"We've known each other for quite a long time. From back before the Paris trip, even."

Her father stopped fiddling and looked up at him. "Wait, the Paris trip? How did you know about the Paris trip?"

"I was with her on the Eiffel Tower when you picked her up."

"Oh, that was you! I suppose it would have to be, there aren't _that_ many guys out there with green hair and big square noses. Small world, eh?"

Vanessa came bustling out the door again, looking (to Ferb's eyes) just as marvelous as when she had gone in. "Okay, let's go. Don't wait up, Dad."

* * *

Ferb lingered over breakfast as the household bustled around him. Mom and Dad were rushing out to get the antique store opened for the day, Phineas was trying to figure out what to do today without him, and Ferb was just waiting for Vanessa to show up for their planned trip. They'd managed to get the Seven finished and registered, so he and Vanessa had a short drive out to the lake planned for the day, giving him a chance to work out the kinks in his newly-built car and spend some time alone with her.

Linda kissed him on the top of his head on her way out, and said, "Have a good time, Ferb." Fortunately, once they'd gotten used to the relationship, his parents had noted that Ferb seemed happier than they'd ever seen him, and had given the couple their approval much less grudgingly than they had initially.

His phone vibrated in his pocket; checking, it was a call from Candace. She'd mellowed quite a bit as she'd gotten older and more sure of herself, and she was spending the summer in New York in an internship for her graphics design degree. He looked forward to her calls, talking about her adventures in the big city with Jeremy, who was interning with a media company there.

"Hello, Candace," he said as he answered the call.

"Hey, Ferb. So I was talking to Mom, and apparently you've got a girlfriend now?"

_Oh, dear._ "I do, yes. Vanessa - I think you know her."

"Yeah, she's a year older than _me_. Going for the older women, eh?"

"Not all of them. Just the one."

"So is this just for the summer, or are you going to try to make a long-distance relationship work?"

Ferb took a deep breath. He knew long-distance relationships were a sore subject for Candace, after her relationship with Jeremy had almost failed when he went to college.

"Assuming we get to that point, we're going to try to make it work."

"Oh, Ferb," she said, concern in her voice. "I know you've been interested in her for years, but are you really ready for something like that yet?"

"It worked for you."

"Barely. It was a lot harder than I expected, and we'd been dating for two years when he went to college. She goes back to school in, what, a month?"

"About that, yes," he said, frustration creeping back into his voice. _Do I have to have this fight with everyone in my family?_

Candace apparently caught it, as she said, "Let me guess, you've been getting a lot of 'are you sure'?"

"You're far from the first."

"I'm sorry. I know, none of my business. And Vanessa's a pretty cool person. I just worry about you, Ferb."

Ferb said, "I understand. We'll make it work, or we won't. But if it doesn't work, it won't be because we didn't try."

"Good for you."

* * *

Sheila slipped next to Ferb as he put his French textbook in his locker on the second day of school. "Hi, Ferb," she said, batting her eyelashes and brushing back her long black hair.

Ferb nodded at her in greeting.

"So they're having a 'welcome back' dance this weekend to start the school year..." she drawled.

Ferb shrugged.

"And I don't have _anyone_ to go with..."

Ferb sighed. _Persistent, isn't she? _"I have a girlfriend, Sheila."

Sheila gave him her widest smile, looking almost predatory. "But she's not _here_, Ferb. Surely you'd like to go to the dance with someone, and I'd _gladly_ make it worth your while..."

"I'm sorry, Sheila, but no."

"Oh, Ferb, you don't have to play hard-to-get with me. And I'm sure there's no way she'd find out, so far away in Marshwood."

"Sheila, if you care so little about faithfulness, why on Earth would I want to get involved with you?"

The smile dropped off Sheila's face, replaced by a bitter frown as if she'd just bitten into something distasteful. "Fine. Be that way." She turned on her heel and stalked off.

* * *

Ferb quit out of the video chat and sighed. She'd just been gone for a week, and he already was unsure how he was going to survive until Thanksgiving. His parents aren't thrilled with the idea of him driving to Marshwood for a weekend, but maybe he could find a way to calm them about the four-hour drive each way. He picked Perry up off the floor, and casually stroked the platypus as he thought.

_Maybe they were right. Maybe we shouldn't have tried this._

Phineas stuck his head in through the bedroom door. "Hey, Ferb. Dad's ordering pizza. You want your usual?"

Ferb nodded at Phineas, then, as his brother started to leave, asked, "Phineas?"

Phineas leaned back in through the door. "What's up?"

"Am I doing the right thing, trying to make this work with Vanessa?"

Perry twitched as Phineas's eyes went wide. "You're asking _me_ for romantic advice? Please tell me you're just looking for what _not_ to do," Phineas said.

Ferb chuckled, and said, "No, I'm serious. Everyone's been telling me how hard it would be to make this work, and asking if I was really ready for this. Mom and Dad came around quickly enough, but now...it's just been a week, and it feels like I'm lost without her."

Phineas shook his head. "Have I ever given you _any_ grief about this?"

Ferb thought back. Now that he looked at the patterns, Phineas's lack of worry was notable compared to everyone else, but he hadn't noticed at the time. "No. No, you haven't. You weren't worried?"

"I'm not worried. Everyone else is acting like this is completely unexpected. I've seen the way you two act together for years. This isn't just a sudden thing for either of you - you just hit the point where it all clicked. And now...I don't think anyone's going to separate the two of you without a crowbar.

"To be honest, I wish I'd thought to set you up to meet her on the scavenger hunt. Didn't you say it was a massive coincidence that she ended up at Blueprint Heaven at all? Her father's blueprint collection got blown up accidentally and he was tied up with business, so he couldn't go himself, or something like that?"

Perry chattered.

Ferb smiled at the platypus. "Maybe Perry set us up somehow, the way he's gotten us together under the mistletoe for five years running."

Phineas laughed. "What, he blew up the blueprints and kept her father busy? That'd be funny, but he's just a platypus."

Ferb nodded. "They don't do much. Do you, boy?"

Ferb would swear Perry smiled at him as he chattered back.

* * *

**Folks seem a bit more reluctant to accept the relationship here than in 'Are You Sure, Vanessa?' for a few reasons: the first two scenes here are earlier than the first scenes for Vanessa, Ferb's younger, and he's closer to his family.**


End file.
